There are no good guys in the Labor Party, Adem Somyurek tells IBAC inquiry

Former Victorian powerbroker Adem Somyurek has called on senior Labor figures to come clean about their factional pasts.

Adem Somyurek gives testimony before the Independent Broadbased anti-Corruption Commission on Friday. Picture: Supplied

Former Victorian powerbroker Adem Somyurek has called on senior Labor figures to come clean about their factional pasts, telling an anti-corruption inquiry reform will only be possible if party leaders tell the truth.

The upper house MP said having senior figures “denying and lying” about their history set the wrong example for the next generation of political aspirants and obstructed progress, adding that they should instead confess “I’ve done this and this is wrong”.

“It’s been quite a cathartic ­experience for me having to ­declare I paid for memberships for 20 years,” he said on Friday. “We need party leaders to come out and tell their own stories.”

Mr Somyurek, a former factional warrior in Melbourne’s southeast, said he had denied and lied throughout his career but ­assured the Independent Broadbased anti-Corruption Commission he was truthful in his testimony.

The inquiry is investigating ­allegations of branch stacking and misuse of public office. Mr Somyurek on Friday finished a week of evidence in which he ­admitted branch stacking but ­denied misusing public resources more than any other MP, saying a system of patronage existed ­within the Victorian ALP.

“All MPs are factional and hire towards their factional allegiances,” he said.

Counsel assisting Chris Carr SC said party elders Steve Bracks and Jenny Macklin told IBAC branch stacking was not limited to one faction but moderate Labor was the worst, which Mr Somyurek rejected. He said all MPs were dragged into the ALP’s factional machinations.

“If you’re going to say there are good guys and bad guys in the Labor Party based on this stuff – there are no good guys in the Labor Party,” he said.

The inquiry heard Mr Somyurek ran up a wages bill of $1m over four years and employed on a $95,000 salary in his electoral office the 20-year-old nephew of his office manager and ally Pinar Yessil, despite the young man only ever having worked in a pet shop before taking the job.

“I didn’t realise he earnt that much,” Mr Somyurek said.

He added that the young man was learning to take over from Ms Yessil – Victoria’s first Muslim mayor – and he needed a Turkish speaker in his office, denying the job involved managing Turkish members of his faction.

In texts messages, Banyule mayor Rick Garotti told Mr Somyurek he had spoken with the ­office of then multicultural affairs minister Robin Scott about a grant for the Somali Australian Council of Victoria, whose secretary, Hussein Haraco, was a key recruiter for their faction.

Mr Somyurek denied he or Mr Scott helped community groups they were aligned with secure grants, saying he learnt that was a “red line” not to be crossed ­during the factional wars of the 1990s, but conceded there could be the perception of a conflict of interest.

He said competing factions ­offering grants to community groups created an “arms race” where money was splashed to draw in members.

“You’re gonna lose them ­because other people will offer them more and someone will end up in jail,” he said.

The inquiry was shown text messages Mr Somyurek sent ­directing electoral and ministerial staff from their official duties to help remove factional enemy ­Jasvinder Sidhu.

Mr Somyurek said he was ­attempting to protect Tarneit MP Sarah Connolly and told the ­inquiry he used a recording of Mr Sidhu disparaging Muslims to oust the Socialist Left recruiter.

The inquiry will next hold public hearings on November 26.